da doce： Before the Gunners first got their league campaign off the mark at home to West Ham last month, the determined Emirates faithful once again shone the upcoming 2015/16 campaign in a particularly promising light for their club.
da premier bet： From the likes of Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny supposedly holding it down for Arsene Wenger at the back, with the newly emerged Francis Coquelin keeping things tight in the middle of the park and Alexis Sanchez and co. maintaining a serious goal-threat for Arsenal in the final third – many saw the new season as the chance for some distinctly defined fortunes in and around the team.
However, as life in the English top-flight rarely runs smoothly in North London for one reason or another, so far Arsene Wenger’s side have looked undoubtedly flat across the 2015/16 campaign. The new term just hasn’t got off to that sensational start many Arsenal fans seemed to be expecting over the summer.
So then, whilst the Gunners’ back-line has admittedly remained relatively sturdy by all accounts, do Arsenal still need some serious help in the striking department this deadline-day?
[ffc-gal cat=”arsenal” no=”5″]
Many current members of the Emirates faithful would invariably agree. Arsenal are a good team at this stage in the season – there’s not too much doubt about that – yet are they a complete outfit worthy of winning the Premier League title outright this term? Arguably not…
Despite several loyal Gunners previously touting the 2015/16 campaign as one in which Arsenal would finally pull together collectively out on the pitch and extend their trophy winning grasp beyond the F.A. Cup this season, once again the North Londoners seemed to have over-shot their lofty expectations. Arsenal fans seemingly have a reoccurring tendency to do so nonetheless, for many of the Emirates faithful were even whispering the word ‘invincibles’ once again before opening day defeat to the Hammers of course.
No, as it stands this current crop of Arsenal stars don’t look anywhere near capable of successfully landing the title this season, no matter how optimistic certain sections of their support stubbornly remain. Wenger’s back-line and midfield options admittedly look to have gone about their business effectively enough without proving overly spectacular so far this term – but when it comes to scoring goals in the final third – the Gunners have looked somewhat incomplete.
Perhaps Arsene Wenger’s preferred system of formation just isn’t all that suited to the current attacking options at his disposal. When either Olivier Giroud or Theo Walcott are tasked with manning the isolated centre-forward’s role at the Emirates, the results usually disappoint somewhat to say the very least.
Neither player works effectively enough on their own up-top, yet as Wenger seemingly never opts to play two recognised strikers in his starting XI, it remains difficult to imagine each player truly offering everything they have at the Emirates. However, whether or not Olivier Giroud, or the increasingly forgetful figure of Danny Welbeck for that matter, remain good enough first choice centre-forward options for Arsenal certainly remains up for debate…
Alexis Sanchez is also somewhat wasted when asked to play out-wide on the wing. Whilst the Chilean international certainly can play that role pretty well when required – considering his deserved status across the world stage – the South American equally looks out of place covering the flanks. Maybe once his recent injury problems are put to one side however, Sanchez will begin to offer his team a meaningful goal-threat once again in the Premier League.
Yet for now, Arsenal’s striking options simply don’t do the fan’s ambitious title hopes justice. The likes of Karim Benzema, Edinson Cavani and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have all been linked with a high profile move to the Emirates with varying degrees of probability this summer. However, as it seems increasingly unlikely that Arsenal will actually sign a striker as initially impressive as the aforementioned names, a player of Aleksandr Kokorin’s talents may be all that’s left to tempt Arsene Wenger at the moment.
When compared to the likes of Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United – the spending power on offer with the Gunners simply seems to be holding the team back against their nearest title rivals.
So then, even though finding a striker representing good value for money may prove somewhat of a rarity these days, Arsenal arguably need to source one from somewhere this summer if they are to have any meaningful joy in the 2015/16 title race. As Wenger could also do with another defensive midfielder however, maybe the Gunners will ultimately be left short this term one way or another.
//embed.scribblelive.com/Embed/v7.aspx?Id=1440156&ThemeId=22054